Review
'Full of strange facts, clever insights and amusing observations and adds up to a surprisingly comprehensive summary of what it means to be British. Along the way you will also learn that a pitbull shot by police marksmen in Mitcham in 2008 had been named Asbo by its owner, and that it's illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament or eat a mince pie on Christmas Day. What places this above similar books on the subject is its lack of rancour and rage: indeed, it s every bit as restrained in tone as we like to think we are. And throughout there's a delightful, quiet wit that yearns to be quoted.' --Daily Mail
'An entertaining combination of wry comments and fond observations. Very handy for Brits and non-Brits alike.' --David Else, author of the Lonely Planet Guide to Great Britain
'Light-hearted, informative, and highly readable. Ed McLachlan's hilarious cartoons complement the text perfectly.' --Jonathan Crowther, author of the Oxford Guide to British and American Culture
'An entertaining combination of wry comments and fond observations. Very handy for Brits and non-Brits alike.' --David Else, author of the Lonely Planet Guide to Great Britain
'Light-hearted, informative, and highly readable. Ed McLachlan's hilarious cartoons complement the text perfectly.' --Jonathan Crowther, author of the Oxford Guide to British and American Culture
Product Description
Explore the oddities of the British psyche with this informative and witty illustrated guide. For a nation that loves to laugh at themselves, this is the perfect companion when wandering lonely through the clouds of British behaviour. From small-talk to superiority, from the famous stiff upper lip to hooliganism, from cricket to condiments, and curry to class, this book will take you through the sometimes sarcastic, often poetic, generally polite, never boastful but universally proud realm of all that's British - its culture, its institutions and its people.
About the Author
Ben Crystal has worked in TV, film and theatre, including the 2006 season at Shakespeare's Globe, and is a narrator for RNIB Talking Books, Channel 4 and the BBC. He is author of several books about Shakespeare for Penguin and Icon. Adam Russ is an actor and writer who lives in London. His previous books include The Revenge Seeker's Handbook and 101 Places Not to Visit. Ed McLachlan's cartoons and illustrations have graced the pages of Punch, Private Eye, Spectator, Oldie, Saga and a host of other publications.
